diff --git a/Documentation/git-read-tree.txt b/Documentation/git-read-tree.txt
index fa1d557e5b..6bb725bffb 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-read-tree.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-read-tree.txt
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ Merging
 -------
 If `-m` is specified, 'git read-tree' can perform 3 kinds of
 merge, a single tree merge if only 1 tree is given, a
-fast-forward merge with 2 trees, or a 3-way merge if 3 trees are
+fast-forward merge with 2 trees, or a 3-way merge if 3 or more trees are
 provided.
 
 
diff --git a/builtin/read-tree.c b/builtin/read-tree.c
index 8ba64bc785..8eae1e88e8 100644
--- a/builtin/read-tree.c
+++ b/builtin/read-tree.c
@@ -197,9 +197,10 @@ int cmd_read_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *unused_prefix)
 		setup_work_tree();
 
 	if (opts.merge) {
-		if (stage < 2)
-			die("just how do you expect me to merge %d trees?", stage-1);
 		switch (stage - 1) {
+		case 0:
+			die("you must specify at least one tree to merge");
+			break;
 		case 1:
 			opts.fn = opts.prefix ? bind_merge : oneway_merge;
 			break;